The Hero's Historia
by Abyssal Dreamer
Summary: A collection of short stories and poetry about the Hero of Time, from his beginnings in the forest 'til the lonely bitter end. Includes spoilers for Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess. - "But no matter what time did, my heart and mind remained"
1. The Hero's Rest

**The Hero's Rest**

His work was done. All his skills and techniques, learnt from a lifetime of searching and fighting, passed on to the successor of his title. There was nothing left for him anymore. He sighed, a deep and wearied exhalation. He had never felt so tired and alone.

On the brink of his fractured and blurred vision he could make out a soft blue light. It was warm and familiar and if he were still mortal tears would have come to his eyes.

"It's time to go home, Link," the light had a soft but high and melodic voice, like a clear glass bell. Recognition dawned in old eyes.

"Navi…" he reached out, daring not to believe it. For too long he had searched. For too long he had hurt. "Navi, can it be true?"

"I'm here, Link. Come with me. Come home. We're all waiting for you," the ball of light jingled, now clear in his vision as the tiny blue fairy he had lost so very long ago. He staggered toward her, reaching out his palm so she could land upon it. Around him the cold ghostly world began to fade into beautiful, familiar forest. His tiredness drained away and his desecrated body began to resemble the Hylian physique of his youth. He could feel the sun on his face again.

"I'm coming Navi. Please wait for me. Don't go. Not again," his voice was as frail and desperate as a child's and to his relief, his fairy stayed close, gently guiding him through the ethereal forest. Soft, childlike laughter rang through the trees, echoing around him. He caught glimpses of green clad figures through the leaves, fairies dancing around their shoulders.

"We're all here, Link. We've waited for you for so long. You were so very lost, but we found you," she chimed softly, as the trees broke onto a meadow, a vast sea of green. To his delight, a small girl with bright green hair sat on the stump in its centre, playing an ocarina. She was soon joined by the figures in the treetops, the Kokiri running through the meadow with glee. Their laughter grew louder and more joyous as, surrounded by the people and the home he'd lost and now again found, the last forest child finally returned home.

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><p><em>Originally published on my tumblr (Vivelagiygas) but expanded here. Set immediately after the Hero of Twilight learns the final hidden skill, and the Hero's ShadeHero of Time is left to die._


	2. Old Friend

**Old Friend**

"Why do you do this?" I asked at our last meeting,  
>Wearied, he looked at me, as if he'd missed my words,<br>"Why do you exist like this, in between our worlds?"  
>I knew he understood that time, he looked toward the sky,<br>"Because I cannot rest, I cannot dream and die,  
>For long ago she left me, alas I don't know why,<br>Thus I swore that I would find her, no matter what the cost,  
>I searched for her through twisted lands, when both of us were lost,<br>And though I looked for many years, my efforts were in vain,  
>So they took my body, my soul and then my name,<br>But no matter what time did, my heart and mind remained,  
>Stuck here I cannot find her, but I will not be still,<br>This is why I train you, so you can learn my skill"  
>He had fallen to the ground, and I knew it was the end,<br>"I can fight no more," he said, "I can no longer wait,  
>Here I am, my old friend, my hour is soon late,<br>I swore to search until the end, and now the end is here,  
>So my spirit will be leaving, and this body disappear,<br>My country has forgotten me, my people are destroyed,  
>Without you here beside me, my life is all but void."<p>

* * *

><p><em>Originally published on my Allpoetry account (Abyssal Dreamer there too). Again, set at the Hero of Twilight's last training session. The Hero of Time is anguished at not only being unable to pass along his skills, but also the acceptance of his inability to find Navi, and his frustration at never being remembered as the hero he was, for his actions were not existent in this timeline, and also the disappearance of his people the Kokiri. He feels, though he has now succeeded in aiding Hyrule to some small extent by passing on his skills, his life at the very end no longer means anything without at least Navi by his side.<em>


	3. The Hero

**The Hero**

'Let me tell you,' said the tree to his sons,  
>'Of the story that has always begun,<br>With a boy, and a legend, that he would come,  
>To save us all from fire and flood,<br>From evil and curses and terror and blood.'

'He was forest-born, like you and I,'  
>And with this the tree gave a creaking sigh,<br>Remembering some long lost ward,  
>'The Goddesses chose his fate, and so,<br>He left the woods so very long ago.'

'They made him a Hero, before his time,  
>He was only a child, with a sweet mind,<br>But thrust into the fight, he served them well'  
>The children gazed upwards, waiting for tales,<br>Of grandiose and glory that a Hero's life entailed.

'He met the Princess, and at her word,  
>Found the sacred stones at the corners of the world,<br>To open Time's Door and pull the Master Sword,  
>But,' and he paused, 'he was too young and so,<br>He was sealed away seven long years ago.'

And the tree looked towards the ruined sky,  
>His children unable to understand why,<br>In their doomed world, a Hero left,  
>'But isn't he to save us all from this fate?'<br>The youngest shook his head, 'He is too late.'

'No,' said his father, 'he is waiting for the call,  
>Because his courage exists deep inside us all,<br>And the Goddesses will someday beckon him,  
>To save our Golden Land, and end the evil rule,<br>That has its cruel grasp over sweet Hyrule'

The story ended there, the old tree said,  
>Yet one last question lingered in young heads,<br>'But what is his name?' they asked as the sun began to sink,  
>'That's simple, my children, the Hero's name is Link'<p>

* * *

><p><em>Originally published on my allpoetry account also. The Deku Tree tells the Kokiri the story of the Hero of Time during the time he lay in the Chamber of Sages.<em>


	4. Memories under the Moon

**Memories under the Moon**

He could remember, sometimes. In brief, beautiful moments, he could recall the long emerald hours of the forest, and the laughter of the children he had once called his kin.

He would strain, with decrepit tendons tied to withered skin, his face toward the imaginary sunlight through the trees. With closed eyes he would smile, even though nothing from the cold grey expanse above provided any warmth on hollow cheeks. For these fleeting moments, he would see himself in his old glory, in his old country, in his old life.

In the rare moments he could breach Hyrule as a beast, he could howl the songs of his youth. Notes once played through an ocarina instead warbled from ghostly vocal cords. Under the moon on the clifftops, he could share not only his skills but also his memories. He had once feared forgetfulness, but all he sought now were these pockets of remembrance to share the remains of his old Hyrule.

It had been a very long time. Longer than he could possibly fathom. Yet, still, he could find the melody of Saria's Song deep in the recesses of his mind, and he was comforted by her memory. He used to wonder if the Sages had still ascended in this new world, if they would be able to reach him here. He didn't anymore, nobody but the young Hero he trained seemed able to cross into his purgatory.

He slumped back down, admitting defeat in his pursuit of sunlight. He had fought so long and so hard and gave up so much, and he was not only denied a death but also a life. He knew, as he had known for some time, he would never see the sun or the trees or the fields again. A whole seven years that never happened existed only in his head, as frail and faded as rotting parchment. As he sunk back down against the crumbling castle walls, he reflected on those years as if to preserve the memory, if only to prove to himself the hero he was. And, in vain, attempting to remember any more songs that he could share in his memories under the moon.

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><p><em>Originally published on Tumblr. The Hero's Shade reflects. Inspired by this watch?v=anBAdRUPMY8 piece of music.<em>


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